Wednesday, June 28, 2017

HONOR ~ KENNEDY LAYNE --> EXCERPT

About HONOR

A high school reunion is about to get down and dirty and a whole lot more complicated in this new romantic suspense from USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne.

Derek Spencer hadn't even bothered to RSVP to his Catfish Creek's high school reunion. He'd been too busy fighting a war in Afghanistan in his capacity as a Marine and wouldn't even be in the States during the event. Unfortunately, one emergency phone call from his mother changed everything.

Tessa Daniels had been voted most likely to do everything back in high school. She somehow didn't think that included acquiring her very own stalker at the relatively young age of twenty-eight. It had stopped being simply annoying after someone broke into her house, invading her privacy. Now, she was actually in fear for her life.

Derek's mother feels terrible that her son has spent almost every waking hour at the hospital, watching over his recovering father. She sets out--and succeeds--in arranging for Derek and Tessa to attend their high school reunion together. Neither one of them expected sparks to fly or memories of long-lost crushes to emerge, but they are not only faced with their newfound passion...they must also confront the person trying to extinguish their chance to rekindle the flames of past desires.

EXCERPT

Derek stood in the doorway wearing only his formal black pants, holding a wooden tray that contained a plate with two pieces of French toast covered in syrup with powdered sugar sprinkled over them. Next to the white porcelain dish were two cups of coffee and a small bowl of fresh, homemade fruit salad he’d cut up from Tessa’s selection in the kitchen. He leaned against the doorframe as he took another moment to come to terms with what happened last night, willing the tension to leave his body.

He’d been honest with Tessa from the very start. She understood that he had to go back to his unit in Afghanistan, leaving him only one more week at home. He’d accepted the limits he could provide to any woman a long time ago. This time was no different… only harder.

Why, then, was he still here?

Tessa’s bedroom held the faintest scent of her perfume, but it was enough to beckon him to enter. Derek couldn’t resist the welcoming fragrance. He pushed off the doorframe with his shoulder and stepped over the threshold. He fought the impression that he’d actually crossed into something more than a mere room. It was her lair.

Tessa was still in the position he’d left her in— lying facedown in the middle of the bed covered in rumpled sheets while her long black halo fanned out over her pillow. Her hand was tucked underneath her cheek as the sunshine kissed her bare shoulder. She was sleeping peacefully, and he’d contemplated leaving her a note upon awakening, going so far as to thank her for last night and promising to keep in touch before walking out her front door. The thing of it was… he couldn’t bring himself to do that. He found that he could barely leave her bed to make them both some breakfast.

He’d gone and fucked himself and his heart over by allowing himself to be with his childhood’s unattainable beauty. She was his personal version of a unicorn.

Derek couldn’t prevent himself from reaching out, tenderly moving a flyaway strand so that it blended with the others. Maybe it was time to make some concessions, without altering too much of the original agreed upon provisions. He didn’t question why his chest tightened at the fluttering of her long lashes. Searching for an answer he didn’t want would get him nowhere.

Find out more about the other four books in the BAD BOY HOMECOMING series on the website here!

About Kennedy Layne

Kennedy Layne is a USA Today bestselling author. She draws inspiration for her military romantic suspense novels in part from her not-so-secret second life as a wife of a retired Marine Master Sergeant. He doubles as her critique partner, beta reader, and military consultant. They live in the Midwest with their teenage son and menagerie of pets. The loyal dogs and mischievous cats appreciate her writing days as much as she does, usually curled up in front of the fireplace. She loves hearing from readers--find out how to connect with her at www.kennedylayne.com.